Q&A
Can I charge my laptop with a phone charger?
Short answer
Sometimes. A phone charger can charge a laptop if the laptop charges over USB-C and the charger's wattage covers what it needs. A 20W USB-C port, like the one on the Anker Nano Travel Adapter (A9215), may charge a laptop slowly or not at all, while the Anker Nano 100W Foldable USB-C Charger (A2679) delivers 20V at 5A, or 100W.
How many watts does a USB-C charger need to deliver to charge a laptop?
A 100W USB-C charger reaches its rating at 20V and 5A, because USB-C power is volts times amps. Seven of the eight chargers in our 100W USB-C charger comparison list exactly that output; the DJW lists 20V at 4.7A, which works out to about 94W. With USB-C Power Delivery the device asks for the power it needs, so a 65W notebook does not use all 100W.
The number to check is the wattage printed on your laptop's original charger. A charger or port rated below it may charge the laptop slowly or not at all. A charger rated above it is not a problem, as long as the laptop charges over USB-C. If your original charger is rated higher than 100W, a 100W unit may charge more slowly under load.
Will a USB-C charger work with a MacBook, Dell or Lenovo laptop?
Four of the eight 100W chargers name MacBook models in their listings, three name Lenovo ThinkPad models and two name Dell models. Match your own laptop against the listing before you buy:
- MacBook: DJW (MacBook Pro 2016 to 2024, MacBook Air 2018 to 2025), JEIBAO (MacBook Pro 14- and 16-inch, 2021), UGREEN and BAJ.
- Lenovo ThinkPad: JEIBAO (ThinkPad and Yoga models), VUOHOEG and BAJ.
- Dell: VUOHOEG (XPS models) and BAJ.
UGREEN adds a warning to its Nexode listing: Dell and Lenovo laptops cannot charge at full speed because of their charging protocols. Anker quotes 50% in 27 minutes for a 14-inch MacBook Pro on the Anker Nano (A2679) and a full charge of a 16-inch MacBook Pro in 1 hour 20 minutes on the Anker 317. Those are manufacturer figures for one laptop each, not a ranking.
Can the USB ports on a travel adapter charge a laptop?
Three of the eight universal travel adapters in our travel adapter comparison list 45W on USB-C, and three top out at 20W. TESSAN spreads 28W across five ports, with a ceiling of 15W per USB-C port, and the EPICKA TA-105+ states no total wattage. The 20W and 28W models suit phones, tablets and earbuds better than laptops.
| Travel adapter | Award | USB output as listed |
|---|---|---|
| EPICKA Pulse Air 45W Universal Travel Adapter | Comparison winner | 45W on USB-C with Power Delivery |
| EPICKA 45W Universal Travel Adapter PD&QC | Best value | 45W fast charging |
| Ceptics 45W Universal Travel Adapter with 3 USB-A | None | 45W on one USB-C port, Power Delivery and Quick Charge 3.0 |
| Anker Nano Travel Adapter (A9215) | None | 20W in total, 15W when ports are shared |
| Decqle Universal Travel Adapter, 2 USB-C + 1 USB-A | Budget pick | 20W Power Delivery maximum |
A wattage figure is a ceiling, and the laptop decides how much it accepts, as the NEWVANGA listing notes. Ports also share one budget: Anker lists 15W when its USB ports are shared, and most listings do not say how 45W divides when several devices are plugged in. A laptop with its own AC charger can use the adapter's AC socket instead. For the rest of the bag, our pre-trip packing checklist covers weight, space and power.
Can a power strip's USB ports charge a laptop?
The eight surge-protector strips in our power strip comparison mostly state USB output in amps, not watts, so a laptop will probably not charge at full speed from them. The USB-C ports of Alestor, Nuetsa and Yintar list 3A, and Anker quotes 20W for its USB-C port inside a shared 15W maximum for all its USB ports. Nuetsa says its USB-C port cannot serve devices that need 9 to 22 volts. Plugging the laptop's original charger into an AC outlet of the strip is the safer route.
Which chargers cover both a laptop and a phone?
Seven of the eight 100W chargers have one USB-C port, so they charge one device at a time; the UGREEN Nexode is the only multiport model, with three USB-C ports and one USB-A port. Its listing says devices can charge together but gives no per-port power split, so do not assume 100W when several ports are busy.
| Product | Award | Deciding spec |
|---|---|---|
| Anker Nano 100W Foldable USB-C Charger (A2679) | Comparison winner (100W chargers) | 20V at 5A, 5 oz (142 g), 6 ft (1.8 m) cable included |
| UGREEN Nexode 100W 4-Port GaN USB-C Charger | Ranked second | 3 USB-C and 1 USB-A ports; no cable in the box |
| Anker 317 100W USB-C Charger (A2672) | Best value (100W chargers) | Only listing that names UL; 5 ft (1.5 m) cable |
| VUOHOEG 100W USB-C Wall Charger, Built-in 6 ft Cable | Budget pick (100W chargers) | PD and PPS named; cable built in |
| EPICKA Pulse Air 45W Universal Travel Adapter | Comparison winner (travel adapters) | 45W USB-C plus two AC sockets |
| ALESTOR 12-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip, 4 USB | Comparison winner (power strips) | 12 AC outlets for the original laptop charger; USB-C listed at 3A |
More chargers and adapters are collected among our power and charging accessories.
How we compared
This page draws on three comparisons of 8 products each: 100W USB-C chargers, universal travel adapters and surge-protector power strips. We rely on manufacturer data, specification tables and listing text, and none of these products passed through our hands, so the performance figures above are manufacturer statements, not measurements. Awards and rankings are copied from those comparisons, and details a listing leaves out count as a gap, never as a guess. Our scoring method is explained in how the scores work.
Related comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Is a 100W charger too strong for a phone or a smaller laptop?
No. With USB-C Power Delivery the device requests the power it needs, so a phone or a 65W laptop draws less than the charger's maximum. Several listings add protective features, such as ELECBRAiN's five listed protections and the temperature monitoring on both Anker chargers, but these are manufacturer statements that we cannot verify.
Can I use any USB-C cable with a laptop charger?
Not for full power. A cable not rated for 5A can hold the output below 100W, because 100W at 20V needs 5A. Six of the eight 100W chargers include a cable or cord, VUOHOEG has one built in, and the UGREEN Nexode includes none. The listings do not say whether each cable is rated for 5A, so check before you rely on it.
Does a travel adapter change the voltage for my laptop charger?
No. Seven of the eight travel adapters state that they do not convert voltage, and the Decqle lists a 100–250V input range instead. Laptop chargers often print a range such as 100–240V on the label; if yours does, a plug adapter is enough. If the label shows a single voltage, you would need a separate converter.
Which safety markings do the 100W chargers name?
The Anker 317 is the only one that names UL. ELECBRAiN and BAJ name CE, while JEIBAO and DJW name CE, FCC and RoHS. UGREEN says only “Certified” without naming a scheme, and the Anker Nano and VUOHOEG name none. We cannot verify certificates, so read these as manufacturer statements.
Did you try these chargers with real laptops?
No. We don't run lab tests, and none of these chargers passed through our hands. The ranking rests on manufacturer data: specification tables, listing text, box contents and price class. Charge times quoted above are manufacturer figures for single laptops, and missing information is treated as a gap, not guessed.